This is the Winter 2018 course discussion blog for and by UCLA students enrolled in LGBTQ Studies 183: Queer Arts in LA.
This course includes a creative component. When this course was first offered during the Fall 2012 quarter, the students researched queer artists who have a significant connection to Los Angeles. Then created a collaborative website.

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Tuesday, October 9, 2012

Julio Salgado (Illustrator, Activist)

Julio Salgado is a queer undocumented artist from Long Beach, California. Julio's art serves several purposes. Besides being aesthetically appealing, it is used as a tool for the activist DREAMer and Undocuqueer community to spread awareness about the undocumented student movement and finally, to humanize these issues which affect the U.S. at large. Julio's primary mediums are marker, paper and most importantly a computer. He is self-taught and in 2010 obtained a Bachelor of Arts in Journalism from California State University, Long Beach. It is through social media that he is able to reach mass audiences with his art and build consciousness for these issues.

Julio's art straddles the world of aesthetics and activism by remaining politically conscious and retaining its form as images. Julio's art is a component of several projects such as the national media collective DREAMers Adrift. Furthermore, he has developed art projects such as the “I am Undocu-Queer!” series, "For My Dreamers", "I Exist" and the "Undocumented Apparel" series which garnered national attention for its criticism of the clothing company American Apparel and its use of farmworkers in an ad campaign.

I chose Julio because I feel that he's an artist that needs to be documented and supported. I had the privilege to sit alongside him as we both completed an undergraduate degree at California State University, Long Beach. As a naturalized immigrant Julio's art touches me very deeply, and reminds me that there is a bridge between art and activism, that there is much to be done for our community. I look forward to seeing the amazing places where his art takes him and to support him for a very long time to come.

1 comment:

It's wonderful that you're using this class to feature an artist you've shared experiences with. Julio Salgado seems to be an exemplary artist for this class because his work represents the root of many of our classmates' identities, myself included. My parents are immigrants that were able to become citizens and they never failed to make me aware about the struggles and injustices that the immigrant community faces. Your artist meshes these issues with those of queer communities, which I think is an amazing stride for transcending barriers and uniting oppressed peoples. I can't wait to see how you're project page turns out. I'm really looking forward to it!